brooks



(No Model.)

B. J. BROOKS.

LEAD AND WIRE SEAL.

Patented May 13, 1884.

Fj/g. 6.

vi 2 i INVENTOR Edward J} Brooks. By his Attorney WITNGESSES n, PETERQ. Phah-Liihogrlpher, wulqin mn. D. a

,NlTED TATES ATENT much.

EDWARD J. BROOKS, or EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO E. J.

naoons & 00., on NEW YoRK, N. Y.

LEAD-AIND-IWIRE SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,665, dated May 13, 1884'.

I Application filed March 5, 1884. (No model.)

To an whom it may concern).-

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. BROOKS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Leadand-VVire Seals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is in continuation of my series of improvements in lead-and-wire seals. Those heretofore patented are described and claimed in my specifications forming part of United States Patents No. 154,639, dated September 1, 1874; No. 161,475, dated March 30, 1875; No. 179,260, dated June 27, 1876; No. I 5 192,735, dated July3, 1877; No. 253,674, dated February 14, 1882; No. 278,866, dated June 5, 1883, and No. 294,193, dated February 26, 1884.

The present invention consists, first, in a shackle of flat wire having one or both ends adapted in a novel manner to effectively resist withdrawal ofthe ends or stripping, as well as to cut into the lead at the pressing operation, so as to facilitate thoroughly pressing the seal; secondly, in the combination, with a shackle end so constructed, of one or more detector enlargements readily added by transverse bends of the flat wire, and serving toindicate the original extremity of the shackle end, so as to aid in detecting any tampering With the seal or attempts to restore the appearance of the seal after violating it; thirdly, in the combination, with a flat-wire shackle having the construction first above stated, of a seal-disk adapted to cross the shackle ends within the seal-disk when the seal is threaded,

preparatory to pressing, so as to interlock the ends one with the other; and, fourthly, in a seal-disk of improved construction adapted with a minimum of lead to be furnished with two large threading-holes, preferably crossed so as to interlock the shackle ends with each other, as well as to facilitate thoroughly pressing the seal to solidify the same around the threaded shackle ends at the pressing operation, and thus combining in one inexpensive article the advantages of several distinct forms of seal-disks heretofore patented by me.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

same.

Figure 1 of these drawings is a face view, partly in section, of a leadand-wire seal embodying the several features of this invention, the same being shown as applied to a car, but unpressed. Fig. 2' is an edge view of the Fig. 3 is a face view of the same seal pressed. Fig. 4 is an elevation of its shackle wire straight, as it leaves the factory; and Fig. 4, a like view of a..flat-wire shackle, having the main feature of the former, illustrat- 6o ing a modification. Fig. 5 is an edge view of the seal-disk, and Fig. 5 a perspective edge view of a modified sealdisk; and Fig. 6 is an elevation partly in section of a cast-in seal having a flat-wire shackle, illustrating additional modifications of the shacklewire shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

A A A represent shackles made from flat wire (iron preferred) of a suitable gage size, the shackles being cut therefrom in suitable lengths and packed and handled, prior to their application to the car or other object to be sealed, in the straight condition represented in Figs. 4, 4, and in full lines in Fig. 6.

According to my present invention, each threading end a, a, or a is constructed with sharp-pointed angular teeth 25, perpendicular to the broad sides of the wire, projecting in opposite directions at its respective edges, and each having a square or substantially square inner end to oppose the withdrawal of the shackle end in the pressed seal, Fig. 3, said teeth being formed by metal punched or struclcup, by cutting and bending, from the edges of the wire, so as to form notches n, which in the pressed seal are filled by the lead, and assist in preventing withdrawal or stripping. At the same time said anchoring 9o provisions do not impair the facilitation of pressing afforded by the use of flat wire, but specially provide for so applying the latter, as shown, that its thin edges, instead of its broad sides, shall be opposed to the lead in 5 the direction of pressure, (perpendicular to the faces of the seal,) thus offering the least possible resistance to the solidification of the lead.

To facilitate detecting attempts to restore the appearance of the seal after violating it or tampering therewith, detector enlargements d, one or more, readily formed by flattened transverse bends, as shown, are added at or near the extremity of each threaded end, so that it may be readily seen whether the extremities of the shackle as found are the original extremities. These would also aid to preclude stripping the wire without breaking it should the teeth 15 in any case be made to cut their way out; but the latter will be impossible if the depth of the notches n be properly proportioned to the original tensile strength of the wire. The hold of the teeth should, in other words, exceed'the tensile strength of the finished shackle at each notch.

'To limit the insertion of the threading ends, they are provided, furthermore, with transverse stop-enlargements 8, formed by pairs of single flattened bends projecting in opposite directions; and the same, by yielding to longitudinal strain and liability to break at one of the bends, if tampered with, may serve to protect the shackle ends against the application thereto of sufficient force to withdraw them. The shacklew ire A has at each end all the features above named. A illustrates the omission of all save the distinguishing teeth 1. and notches a, and A has one end, a provided with teeth t, notches a, and longitudinal detector enlargements d only, and its other end, a, like those of the shackle-wire A, except an additional detector enlargement. The number of the latter may indicate the section of a railroad to which a given pattern of seal belongs, one signifying 1st, two 2d, and so on.

B ]3 B represent leaden seal-disks, the first and last of which are adapted to cross the shackle ends at the threading operation, preparatory to pressing, as illustrated by Figs. 1 and-2, and by dotted lines in Fig. 6. In said seal-disk B, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, two threading-holes, b I), cross at the middle of the disk. In said seal-disk B, Fig. 6, one shackle end, a is cast in, and a single threading-hole, If, crosses the cast-in end at the middle of the disk. The result is the same in either case, being, generally considered, as set forth in my specification, forming part ofsaid Patent No. 16l,4t75viz., to interlock the ends one with the other at the succeeding pressing operation or in the pressed seal. (Represented by Fig. 3.) Said toothed and notched fiat-wire shackles are peculiarly well adapted to be so self-locked within the sealdisk, and are prefer.- ably so used. Another feature common to said seal-disks B and B is the formation of a pair of threading-holes, b b or b b, as large as may be required to freely admit two threaded shackle ends, in a very light seal-disk having cylindrical or semi-cylindrical portions, each provided longitudinally at its center with one of the threading-holes, together with a thin central portion, forming or parallel with the face-lines, and of the required outline and diameter suited to the dies of the pattern of sealpress employed by the users of the seals, said cylindrical or semi-cylindrical portions projecting equally on both, sides of the said central portion. This construction of seal-disk, as distinguished from those set forth in my specifications forming part of said Patents Nos. 209,008 and 278,866, is believed to be novel.

In use, the shackle A, A, or A is passed through a pair of sealing-staples, S, or the like, its threading end or ends a, a", or a being next passed into and through the threading hole or holes I), b, or b of a seal-disk, B, B, or B which is termed the threading oper ation. The seal-disk is next pressed by means of a suitable seal-press, to solidify the lead around the threadedshackle ends and to stamp the face of the disk with appropriate distinguishing-marks, m, as represented by Fig. 3, in a customary manner.

Having thus described my said improvement in lead and wire seals, I claim as my invention and desire to protect under the present specification.- I

1. In combination with a seal-disk, a shackle of single wire, flat in cross-section, provided with notches in its respective edges and with sharp-pointed teeth formed of the metal from said notches, said teeth projecting rigidly from its edges, and having their point ends directed toward the middle of the shackle, substantially as herein specified.

2. In a lead-and-wire seal, the combination of a shackle of flat wire, having its threading holes to receive said threading end or ends,.

substantially as herein specified, for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, in a lead-and-wire seal, of a shackle of fiat wire, having both ends notched and toothed, substantially as herein specified, and a seal-disk adapted to cross said shackle ends at its middle at the threading operation, as described, for the purposes set forth.

4. In combination with a shackle-wire, a seal-disk composed of a thin central portion of the required face-outline and diameter, and two cylindrical .or semi-cylindrical portions, each having a concentric longitudinal threading-hole, andproj ecting equally on the respective sides of said central portion, substantially as shown, for the purpose set forth.

- EDWARD J. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

N. S. KLINE,

H. L. O. WENK.

IIO 

